1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical fiber component that is used in SHG (Second Harmonic Generation) and THG (Third Harmonic Generation) optical sources that are used in laser microscopes, analysis equipment for biomedicine, precision measurement equipment and the like, and to an optical module that uses this optical fiber component.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, an optical module as illustrated in FIG. 8 has been known. This optical module comprises: a laser module 100 that generates and outputs laser light, for example, laser light having a wavelength of 375 μm to 650 μm; an input-side optical fiber 101 and an output-side optical fiber 102 that are connected to this laser module 100; a collimating system 103 that is located between the optical fibers 101, 102; and optical components that are located between two collimating lenses (condenser lenses) 104, 105 in the collimating system 103.
In the conventional optical module that is illustrated in FIG. 8, the end surface of the input-side optical fiber 101 and the end surface of the output-side optical fiber 102 are both exposed to the air, so compounds of C, H and O (foreign matter) that are included in extremely minute amounts in the air adhere to the end surfaces of the optical fibers 101, 102, and particularly the core surface that is continuously irradiated by high power density light. As a result, the intensity of light that propagates along the output-side optical fiber 102 drop enormously, and becomes impossible to use.
With this construction, it is possible to provide a long-life optical component and an optical module that uses this optical component that are capable of preventing compounds of C, H and O from adhering to the end surfaces of the optical fibers, and particularly the core section thereof, and are capable of maintaining the light propagation characteristics of the optical fiber over a long period of time.